Packaging apparatus and method

Abstract

The present invention comprises a machine for the packaging of goods in a box. A conveyor receives a designated number of goods between a series of successive flights situated on the top surface of the conveyor. The conveyor transports the goods up an incline and then over a steep decline, or waterfall. The waterfall nests the goods on a surface of the lead flight. The waterfall is covered so that the goods do not fall off of the conveyor as it goes over the waterfall. The conveyor then reaches a belt return, wherein the lead flight moves out from underneath the goods and drops the goods into the box. The box is positioned underneath the waterfall to receive the goods by the action of an intermittent conveyor. A sensor is positioned to verify that the queued box has received the goods. If the sensor does not indicate to the second conveyor that the queued box has not received the goods, the intermittent second conveyor will not move the box. After the box has received the goods, the intermittent conveyor moves the box away and queues another box to receive goods.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for packaging goods in a box, comprising: 
 (a) a first conveyor for receiving an at least one good, the first conveyor transporting the at least one good along a path, the path including a waterfall operatively positioned along the path, wherein the at least one good is moved over the waterfall by the first conveyor; and    (b) a box positioned below the waterfall, wherein the box is in a position to receive the at least one good from the waterfall.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the path further comprises an incline, the incline positioned after the first conveyor receives the at least one good and before the waterfall.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a second conveyor, the second conveyor operably positioned below the waterfall to move the box into the position where it receives the at least one good from the waterfall.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a sensor, the sensor operably attached to the second conveyor, the sensor further positioned so that the sensor insures that each box receives the at least one good provided by the first conveyor.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first conveyor further comprises an at least one flight, each of the at least one flight fixedly attached to the first conveyor at a regular interval.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a first wall and a second wall, the first wall and the second wall operably attached on either side of the first conveyor.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the first conveyor receives the goods in a pitch, the pitch defined by the conveyor belt area between two successive flights, the first flight called a lead flight and the second flight called a trail flight.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a slide operably attached to the first conveyor, wherein the slide transports the goods to the first conveyor in a manner timed to place the goods in successive pitches.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the first wall forms a cavity for receiving an end of the slide and the second wall further comprises a stop, the stop operably positioned on an opposite side of the first conveyor from the slide, wherein the stop insures that the at least one good comes to rest on the first conveyor.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the first conveyor is a continuous motion conveyor.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the first conveyor further comprises a belt return.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second conveyor is an intermittent motion conveyor.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first conveyor further comprises a vibrator, the vibrator vibrating the first conveyor and the at least one good to insure that the at least one good is properly positioned on the first conveyor between the lead flight and the trail flight.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the vibrator is fixedly attached to the incline of the conveyor path.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first conveyor further comprises a cover placed over the waterfall area, the cover confining the at least one good between the cover, the lead flight, and the first conveyor.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the cover is hingedly attached over the first conveyor so that it may be easily positioned for the cleaning and maintenance of the first conveyor.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the cover is made of plastic.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the second conveyor further comprises a guide, the guide operably attached above the second conveyor and beneath the waterfall to channel the box into a position to receive the at least one good.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the guide further comprises a first guide and a second guide, the first guide and the second guide operably attached above the middle conveyor for positioning and holding the box in place to receive the at least one good from the first conveyor.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the second conveyor further comprises a box conveyor and a take-away conveyor, the take-away conveyor being a continuous motion conveyor and the box conveyor being an intermittent motion conveyor, the take-away conveyor operably attached to a downstream end of the box conveyor, the box conveyor operably positioned beneath the waterfall, the take-away conveyor taking the box from the box conveyor after the box has received the at least one good.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein a sensor is operably attached to the box conveyor, the sensor stopping the intermittent motion of the box conveyor when the sensor perceives that a box has not received the at least one good.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a second sensor, the second sensor sensing whether a box is queued in position to receive the at least one good.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the box is a cardboard box.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the conveyor surface further comprises an at least one groove, the groove being laterally disposed in order to removably nest the container placed thereon.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for the packaging of tubes, the apparatus further comprising: 
 (a) a first conveyor, the first conveyor running in continuous motion and further comprising an incline portion and a steep decline portion;    (b) a first wall and a second wall, the first wall and the second wall operably attached to each side of the first conveyor and extending a vertical distance above the first conveyor    (c) a plurality of flights, each flight operably attached to the first conveyor and positioned at a repetitive distance along a top surface of the conveyor    (d) a source of an at least one tube, wherein the source of tubes provides the at least one tube in a consistently timed manner, placing a predetermined number of the at least one tube between each successive flight;    (e) a conveyor return, the conveyor return positioned at the end of the steep decline of the first conveyor; and    (f) a second conveyor, the second conveyor being an intermittent conveyor that places a box in a position below the steep decline to receive the at least one tube.    
     
     
         26 . A method of packaging goods in a box, the method comprising: 
 (a) placing an at least one good on a continuous motion conveyor;    (b) transporting the at least one good on the conveyor over a conveyor path, the path including a steep decline at a downstream end of the conveyor path; and    (c) dropping the at least one good from the conveyor decline into a box.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the movable conveyor is a continuously moving conveyor.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein placing the at least one good on the conveyor further comprises positioning the at least one good on a pitch, wherein the pitch is a section of the conveyor between a lead flight and a trail flight.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein transporting the at least one good on the conveyor further comprises moving the at least one good up an incline, whereby the at least one good nestles against the trailing flight.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising a conveyor belt return for returning the conveyor belt to an upstream end of the conveyor belt path.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein dropping the at least one good into a box further comprises: 
 (a) moving the at least one good over the steep decline by action of the conveyor, whereby the at least one good is nestled against the lead flight and the conveyor; and    (b) allowing the at least one good to fall into the box when the conveyor return moves the lead flight out from under the at least one good.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising moving the box to a position underneath the steep decline by action of a second movable conveyor.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising a slide for placing the at least one good between the lead flight and the trail flight.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising transporting the at least one good to the waterfall through a smooth turn.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the second movable conveyor is an intermittent motion conveyor.  
     
     
         36 . A machine for the packaging of goods in a box, the machine comprising: 
 (a) means for conveying goods from a product loader to a waterfall, the goods being conveyed over the waterfall and deposited into a container; and    (b) means for positioning the container underneath the waterfall to receive the goods and to move the container with the goods away from the waterfall.    
     
     
         37 . The machine of  claim 36  further comprising an incline.  
     
     
         38 . The machine of  claim 37  further comprising: 
 (a) means to determine that a box is present; and  
 (b) means to determine whether the goods have been placed into the box.